Steve Bergen is currently the CIO at The Children’s Storefront, an independent, tuition-free, preK-8 school at 129th and Park Avenue. For the past two years, I have been volunteering with Steve at his almost-monthly Tech Saturdays workshops. After gathering donated computers, screens, keyboards, and mice from other independent schools, Steve and his willing helpers reimage the computers with free and open source software. Harlem families sign up for Saturday workshops staffed by teachers, techies, and current/former Storefront students. After receiving some instruction on how to set up the computer, navigate the operating system, and use specific software titles, families take a computer home.
Steve partners with Michael Lewis of the Wireless Harlem Initiative. WHI is setting up wireless hot spots around Harlem so students and families can benefit from free high speed internet access. It is a pleasure to work with these guys, and not just because of my need to earn karmic brownie points. They are creative, inspirational, charitable, and tireless mentches.
Please click to see my set of Tech Saturdays photos from my Flickr stream.
Karen Blumberg 